Can Black people of the 'old' diaspora still make the connection with Africa, or is it just unrealistic day dreaming? In August producer and activist Bamba Nazar organised the event “African Homecoming” in Amsterdam, dedicated to the bridging between Africa and the diaspora. He was triggered by his journey to the slave island of Gorée in Senegal. But Dutch cultural critic and blogger Plug is skeptic about this new Pan-Africanisme.

"Look at the faces and stories from the city to the Expo: AfricaMi", is a photo exhibit which will be organised by the Italian Institute of Photography, in collaboration with the Association Assaman (2 - 7 October 2012 ).

Saturday, September 22, 2012

The Ska band The Selecter (from the 70s) with lead singer Pauline Black have released their new Album 'Made in Britain' and will be touring Britain in October. Pauline Black has published a book last year entitled ‘Black by Design’, a book about being mixed-race, being adopted by a white couple, and tracing her biological roots.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Have Afro-Argentines stopped being vanishing blacks, as Ebony Magazine called them back in 1973? Ebony editor Era Bell Thompson wrote, “What I found was not a viable, but a vanishing black people: relatively few in numbers, relatively free of racial discrimination and relatively content. Summarized by one gentleman, if there were more of us, perhaps it would be different."

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

In the collective memory of Argentina the history of Argentine black people is erased completely. "Black people do not exist in Argentina," said former Argentine President Carlos Menem. But huge numbers of black soldiers fought in every independence war of the country. In the Argentine film “Revolución - El cruce de Los Andes” (2010), which follows the life of Argentine hero General José de San Martín, their contribution is highlighted. The film premiered during the bicentennial of Argentina.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

"Writer Zadie Smith burst onto the literary scene with her first novel White Teeth more than a decade ago. Set in the Northwest London neighborhood where she grew up, White Teeth captured the diverse, vibrant rhythms of a city in transition. Smith returns to the neighborhood in her new novel, NW, but this is a sobering homecoming." - NPR

For the New York Times Magazine British writer Zadie Smith sits down with rapper Jay-Z and describes and interviews him.

It’s difficult to know what to ask a rapper. It’s not unlike the difficulty (I imagine) of being a rapper.

He’s not late. He’s dressed like a kid, in cap and jeans, if he said he was 30 you wouldn’t doubt him. (He’s 42.) He’s overwhelmingly familiar, which is of course a function of his fame ­ — rap superstar, husband of Beyoncé, minority owner of the Nets, whose new home, the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, will open this month — but also of the fact he’s been speaking into our ears for so long.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Late 18th–early 19th century painting by unknown artist of Dido Elizabeth Belle, left, and her cousin. Courtesy Wikipedia

Via Madnews
The second feature to be written and directed by the British filmmaker Amma Asante, “Belle” will tell the story of a mixed-race woman raised as an aristocrat in 18th-century England. Dido Elizabeth Belle (1761-1804) was the illegitimate daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay of the British navy and an enslaved woman, herself known as Belle.

Canada's Montreal International Black Film Festival (MIBFF) is back with a diverse and exciting line-up featuring 115 films from nearly 40 countries. The Festival is presented by Global Montreal, in collaboration with the Fabienne Colas Foundation, and will run from September 19 to 30, 2012.

The latest clip from Nigerian-German singer Nneka. Originally shot at the same time then the other "My Home" clip, this is a whole diffrent take of the song and it's lyrics by director Antonio Navarro, who also directed the "Soul Is Heavy" Video clip.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

A Jewish boy from a middle class family goes to the black neighboorhood Amsterdam Bijlmer to find a black ghetto girl with a big behind. The story is the film adaptation of the controversial bestseller by Dutch writer Robert Vuijsje, entitled "Alleen Maar Nette Mensen" (or "Only Decent People").

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

It's usually the other way around. African-Americans and Caribbeans going on a pilgrimage to Africa. But this time it's an African woman from Belgium crossing the Atlantic. This August Congolese-Belgian guest blogger Sanza traveled to Curaçao to find the African heritage. She tasted the food, met interesting people, but also felt the colonialism.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

The German Museum Folkwang in Essen presents two exhibitions about Africa. The photo exhibition "Africa, There and Back" and the poster exhibition "Africa - Reflections in Posters". Both exhibitions will run until Oktober 21, 2012

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Afro-Turks during the Sixth festival of the Calf (photo: Ekrem Eddy Güzeldere)

The Afro-Turks, whose ancestors came to the Ottoman Empire as slaves in the nineteenth century, are still struggling for recognition. Now, though, their desire to assimilate into the wider society has become greater than their desire to maintain their own identity. By Ekrem Eddy Güzeldere.